SOCHI, Russia (AP) -- Russia won its first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics on Sunday, taking the new team figure skating event even before the ice dancers finished up.

Evgeni Plushenko and Julia Lipnitskaia secured the gold by winning the free skates, thrilling the Iceberg crowd that was almost completely comprised of their countrymen.

Russia had 67 points with the ice dance yet to come, and Canada was next with 56 points. The United States stood third with 50, while Japan and Italy had 45 each.

While not as magical as in his short program to open the competition, Plushenko was good enough. He scored 168.20 points to win.

Three-time world champion Patrick Chan of Canada and short program winner Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan did not compete, resting for the individual men's event. They were replaced by the lower-ranked Kevin Reynolds and Tatsuki Machida, respectively, and they finished second and third.